Overview
Mairin Augustine
Vikranth Bejjanki
Jennifer Borton, acting chair
Rebecca Dyer
Kelly Faig
Alexandra List (on leave 2022-23)
Jaime Mancilla
Tara McKee, chair (on leave 2022-23)
Siobhan Robinson
Rachel White
Keelah Williams
Penny Yee (Associate Dean of Faculty)
Special Appointment
Erik Jacobson
The goal of the Psychology Department is to provide students with the tools to pursue novel questions about behavior and the mind using the scientific method. Strong emphasis is placed on helping students learn to communicate their ideas clearly and concisely.
Students will learn to:
- Explain how behavior and the mind are shaped by a variety of factors (e.g., biological, sociocultural)
- Evaluate sources, evidence, and psychological theories critically
- Employ appropriate research methods and statistics to address novel psychological questions ethically
- Communicate ideas clearly and concisely, demonstrating awareness of both disciplinary conventions and the target audience
A concentration in Psychology consists of ten courses: PSYCH-101; PSYCH-201; either PSYCH-204 or PSYCH-205; one laboratory course numbered between 300 and 327 (except PSYCH-320); PSYCH-380; and five additional courses at the 300 level or above, including the Senior Project.
Students may place out of Introductory Psychology by earning a 5 on the Psychology AP exam; a 6 or 7 on the Standard Level Psychology IB test (with IB Diploma); or a 5, 6, or 7 on the Higher Level Psychology IB test (with IB Diploma), and will receive 1 Hamilton College credit upon receiving a minimum grade of B in Psych/Neuro 201. The credit may not be applied toward the Psychology concentration or minor; concentrators must still take a total of ten courses.
To fulfill the Social, Structural, and Institutional Hierarchies requirement in Psychology, concentrators must take either ONE course from the following list:
PSYCH-324 (Law and Human Behavior)
PSYCH-379 (Lifespan Development) Formerly PSYCH-350
PSYCH-359 (Stereotyping and Prejudice)
PSYCH-367 (Psychological Bias in the Justice System)
or TWO courses from the following list:
PSYCH-316 (Developmental Psychology of Self-Control)
PSYCH-349 (Parenting)
PSYCH-353 (Adult Psychopathology)
PSYCH-355 (Neurobiology of Addiction)
PSYCH-356 (Social Psychology)
PSYCH-372 (Psychology in a Pandemic)
PSYCH-373 (Health Psychology)
Courses taken off-campus may fulfill the SSIH requirement; students should consult with the chair to determine whether the course(s) will count toward the first or second list, above.
Students should plan to complete their lab requirement by the end of their junior year. The Senior Project involves an extensive research and theoretical inquiry, culminating in a written thesis and an oral presentation. The project can be completed in one or two semesters during one academic year. Although the Department encourages students to complete a full-year senior project, the first semester course, Psych 500, is only offered in the fall semester, whereas the second semester course, Psych 501, is only offered in the spring semester. Therefore, students who will finish their degree requirements in December who want to complete a full-year project will need to take Psych 500 in the fall of their junior year (i.e., three semesters prior to completion of degree requirements) and Psych 501 in the spring of their senior year (i.e., two semesters prior to completion of degree requirements). Such students will need to consult with the chair of the Psychology Department in the spring semester prior to taking Psych 500 (i.e., four semesters prior to completion of degree requirements) in order to be included in the advisor assignment process. Students who are unable to follow such a timeline will be required to complete a one-semester senior project in their last semester.
Students may not take any course at the 200 level or above on a credit/no credit basis if the course will be used to fulfill concentration or minor requirements.
Departmental honors in psychology recognize the distinguished achievement of students who excel in their coursework in the concentration; only students who conduct a full-year Senior Project are eligible for departmental honors.
A minor in Psychology consists of five courses: PSYCH-101; PSYCH-201; either PSYCH-204 or PSYCH-205; one laboratory course numbered between 300 and 327 (except PSYCH-320); and one other course.
The departments of Biology and Psychology offer an interdisciplinary concentration in neuroscience. See the description under Neuroscience.